Simple question, have you ever worked for any company making billions of dollars in profits, buying back billions of dollars in stock and paying down billions of dollars of debt? It matters, we're not scraping by.

 

Well, not billions but hundreds of millions. Do some research...how many pilot groups have gotten full retro when past their amendable date?

I know the answer...you obviously don't. Better start thinking "signing bonus" to avoid disappointment.

 

Some would, yes. Seems to me that after the merger a certain group of pilots from the north were calling what they were receiving as monthly compensation a pay cut because even though the rates were better than what they had before said merger, work rules were causing them (supposedly) to make less money. So yeah, some would consider that a concession.

 

Nobody said we are.

 

You got basically fired from AS, banned from other web boards, and come on here telling us what to expect?

Let's just say you don't exactly have any legs to stand on...

 

I agree. So many talk about what "leverage" we have right now. But what good is leverage if you have no intention of getting anything for it? Running around here with your chest puffed out, arms folded, and yelling "no concessions" is absolutely ignorant. A smart business person should be saying to management, "you need the sick leave policy changed, so how badly do you need that? You need the Line Check Airman bidding changed, how badly? 40% raise bad?"

And I hear pilots say that quality of life isn't for sale but that's stupid too. If you can get paid enough money, then you can afford to drop trips and still be home the same.

 

Tell us, old wise one.

 

Don't be naive, everything is negotiable. We're all big boys and girls. Posturing is part of negotiating. But you're from the smartest guy in the room tribe, you know all.

 

So then you would be willing to accept a perceived "concession" if the pay is enough?

 

Call it retro or a signing bonus, it's a number larger than zero. And the mere mention of it is a novelty to some. I'm a North guy. But I'm told that Delta has always received retro pay in non-concessionary contracts that have gone past the amendable date. 100% true or not, there is an entirely different view of retro between PNW and pre-merger DL pilots. It's a shame that fact was not recognized during any of the surveys and polling.

During a cockpit conversation about one year ago, I laughed at the notion of retro "being a thing," while one of my coworkers seemed bewildered that there was the remotest possibility of zero retro pay. We instantly realized a large cultural difference exists in that regard. Which could really influence the manner in which poll/survey questions are answered. Bottom line, my colleague was willing to accept a lower percentage pay increase because he was confident in capturing the time value of money, even if it was in one big check later on. On the other hand, I required a higher percentage pay increase, knowing that protracted negotiations would delay the start date of said raise, with no ability to recoup the pay-time loss. That said, we both had similar wishes for a total pay increase over the length of a future agreement.

It's a different mindset that must be accounted for when asking questions about pay increases and negotiation timeframes. For some retro is a past reality, for others it's the stuff of fantasy. The resolution of our current negotiations will likely reset the retro expectations of many Delta pilots. Let's hope it's me and my fellow PNW colleagues fainting when we see the retro check deposit advice!